<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 3:20 AM, Kurt B. Kaiser <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kbk@shore.net">kbk@shore.net</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<div class="im"><br></div>
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As I recollect, much of what Scherer did in VIDLE related to running<br>
multiple IDLE copies.<br>
<br>
For that reason, the VIDLE changes have to be evaluated carefully to<br>
determine what has already been incorporated. I believe I added a<br>
couple of his smaller changes, also.<br>
<br>
Bruce, speaking of Dave Scherer, we've been trying to get a Python<br>
Contributor Agreement from him. Is that something you can help us with?<br>
<br>
--<br>
<font color="#888888">KBK<br></font></blockquote><div><br></div><div>I don't recall that VIDLE has anything to do with running multiple IDLE copies. What's in VIDLE is a lot of bug fixes and some improvements. For example, you can configure it to not require having to save a file, which makes it as easy to use for quick testing as the shell. Another improvement, of high importance for our physics students and other novice programmers, is to bring an error display forward. Many students fill the screen with the edit window and the error message could be hidden, leaving them puzzled as to why their program wasn't running. Stuff like that, all aimed at issues we had seen with a large population of science and engineering students.</div>
<div><br></div><div>I'll say again that IDLE/VIDLE is an excellent environment for novices. Issues identified here about look and feel etc. have just not been of any importance in that context.</div><div><br></div><div>
If you'll send me what you want from Scherer, I can contact him.</div><div><br></div><div>Bruce Sherwood </div></div><br>